Sunday, April 10, 2011

The Price of My Sanity

~Josh left--Sam, on the right~
On the warmest day last week when I returned home from work, I spent (no kidding) 2 hours vacuuming up stink-bugs inside the house.  I'd left many of the windows open and they were everywhere--on the ceiling, on the floor, on the furniture, everywhere--And some were flying around!  The next morning when I came into the kitchen there were 3 together 'nose-to-nose' on the kitchen counter, like they were having a meeting--I really think there's a plot to overtake our house!  Needless to say, I admitted defeat in the battle the night before.  On the way to work that morning (I have to add that there was a stink-bug on the back window of my van) I formulated a new plan of attack.  This would require bringing in the bug-guns, I mean, the big guns...I avoid the use of pesticides and chemicals, but I felt the time had come to call a pest control company.  Two different people came yesterday, one for the bugs, the other came later to check for termites. I took part of the dogs for a car-ride while they were here.  Chemicals were not used inside the house, but hopefully the 'repellant' will work to keep them away.  They'll return again in a month to spray again.  Its been cold the last few days but warmer weather is predicted for the coming week, so we'll see.  Right now the total for this round of the battle is: 

Gas to drive the dogs around for 2 hours - $10.00
Cost of two drive-thru trips to McDonalds - $7.00
Bill from the pest control company - $165.00
My Sanity if this works - $-Priceless!

 

34 comments:

  1. While I was bringing in the laundry from the line yesterday, it was full of all kinds of little squash bugs and gnats, etc... I thought of you and your stink bugs. I do hope this step takes care of the problem. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. We can tell it's Spring at our house, because as soon as the sun gets warm it is covered with flies! And too soon we'll get those stinky lady bugs too - I hope the stinkbugs don't make it down here!!

    Here's hoping you'll be free of stinkbugs!!

    xo
    Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Charlie is laughing!

    I don't know anything about stink-bugs but they must be pretty grim if they require such extreme measures (and $$$$$$$'s).

    Good luck in their permanent removal.

    Jo
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Priceless....funny, Kim! We, too, have buglets that are annoying and have a pest control company at comes on a regular basis. Hope it all works!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Woof! Woof! Well we're suppose to have a BUG called STINKY coming to our town this summer. It's currently on the west side and invading the town. YES it is a Stinky Bug ... it sticks n if your kill it/squish it ... its stinkier. LOVE car rides ... glad you get to go to McD. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

    ReplyDelete
  6. Did the exterminator find a nest?
    We were swarmed by ladybugs last year...found a nest in the attic.
    One ladybug is cute...1000s of ladybugs are a nightmare!
    Hope your stinkers are gone!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Stink bugs are annoying, for sure. Hope it works!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What good looking dogs! And stink bugs?! Ugh! Hope you got them all sucked up.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, yuck. I admit the return of sanity is priceless! We get a company out that sprays with an all natural repellent - 100% safe for the pups and horses. It does seem to work too. We haven't had any scorpions or ninja (hard to squish) spiders in the house for a while.

    Sam

    ReplyDelete
  10. $7.00 for two drive throughs at Mickey "D's" now that is a bargain.



    Hamish & Sophie

    ReplyDelete
  11. I hope the spraying session works for you, bugs in the house is no fun!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I don't even know what a stink bug is! Great story.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Stink bugs sound HORRIBLE! I am all for calling in the big guns, given that you've been battling them for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Please let us all know if the repellant works !

    ReplyDelete
  15. We don't have a problem with stinkbugs, but we do have an invasion of ants each spring.

    I've heard that guinea fowl also eat ticks, which would be wonderful around here. I'm afraid my pack would chase the poor things.
    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  16. oh dear! i'd pay that to avoid another 2 hours of vacuuming them up ANY DAY!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I had no idea what stink bugs were or looked like so I did a little research & OH MY!! They are so ugly! Sorry to read that you are having stink bug problem in your house. Hopefully the repellent will work!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Charlie looks like he just ate a hamburger! Did he? Seriously though, I am so sorry about the bugs. I don't know what they are, but they seem like terrible pests.--Inger

    ReplyDelete
  19. Smart move Kim! Well worth the money and your sanity!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Well, Kim, all I can say...when I came home from Aruba, my house was NOT empty and I didn't leave the windows open!...:)JP

    ReplyDelete
  21. hottest day here too!!!
    know exactly how you feel!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I hate stink bugs...I can';t imagine having them like that! Too bad they stink when you kill them or you could have done it. Good for you in getting the dogs away! :D

    ReplyDelete
  23. And, there is Charlie, with no bandage. I guess he's feeling better. Gosh, he has the sweetest, silly face.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hope those stink bugs are long gone.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh those nasty little stink bugs are back! Won't they leave you alone ~ shooo stinky bugs shoooo!

    xo Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  26. Kim
    you must keep your sanity,, so what ever is needed- you must do it,
    We can only imagine how horrible they are.
    We have the stinky lady bugs. They are not the normal ones.
    I hope its all better now
    love
    tweedles

    ReplyDelete
  27. We don't have stink bugs here but I'm guessing that they smell bad???

    Did you have to drive-thru at McD's twice to get enough burgers for all the dogs?

    I agree - sanity is priceless!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh I know how you hate them. Hope this works. It must be terrible !

    ReplyDelete
  29. Do you get them all over your town or is it just because you live near trees?? How big are they? S x

    ReplyDelete
  30. LOL!! Thanks so much for this laugh, Kim! I needed it. There are times when we just have to bite the bullet and do what we have to do> I love the part about the 2 drive-thru trips at McDonalds! Josh, Sam and Charlie all have smiles. Stink Bugs = McDonalds. I'd be careful they don't set you up somewhere down the road...

    ReplyDelete
  31. Kim,
    I do hope you will finally get rid of those nasty things.
    We don't have them here, YET!
    But I certainly know how it must feel having these bugs inside your home.
    Driving thru the McDonalds might not have been too bad. I just love there fries with no salt. That way they have to make them fresh.
    The dogs pictures are priceless.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Ha! Very funny post. Not funny in the moment..I'm sure, but cute nonetheless. Boy are you right that sometimes you have to pay some money to retain sanity!! This happened to me last year with mites in the chicken coop. People kept saying they would go away eventually with the dust. One day I just couldn't take it anymore and I too called in the "big guns". Thank goodness for them!!
    Staci

    ReplyDelete
  33. we're getting in the pest control for the cluster flies in the fall as they have been driving me crazy as well.......

    Gill

    ReplyDelete

Speak--I really enjoy your comments! Thanks for stopping by today!!